Pink house packs a protective punch

Campbell Homes has left this house in south Saskatoon uncovered to show the PinkWood, a new product that provides a barrier against fire, mould, fungus and rot.

Photograph by: Jeff Lyons
, Postmedia News

It's hard not to notice. Campbell Homes' newest show home in south Saskatoon is pink. Very pink. For now, anyway.

The home builder constructed the frame of the house - including i-joists and sheathing - earlier this month and decided to leave it exposed. That's because it's highlighting a new product, PinkWood.

Blair Nutting, vice-president of the Calgary-based company PinkWood, says it "uses a coating called PinkShield, which is a [fireresistant] intumescent paint."

PinkShield, the company says, is "a revolutionary, factory-applied coating process, designed specifically to provide a visible and effective barrier against fire, mould, fungus and rot."

"In addition to the protection, PinkShield is nontoxic and environmentally friendly."

A recent demonstration by PinkWood at the home in the suburb of Stonebridge confirmed just how fire resistant. With firefighters on guard, three gas torches were pointed at coated and uncoated joists.

Within 20 minutes, fire had burned entirely through the unprotected wood; the coated joist only had a burn mark.

Campbell Homes owner and former firefighter Jason Campbell knew the safety value that PinkWood would provide as well as its enduring qualities. The home is the first in the city with its frame built entirely with PinkWood.

"Home builders in Saskatoon are always trying to build the best product possible and constantly improving standards," Campbell says. "When I first heard about PinkWood, I was very interested in it."

The pink product also made Campbell think of breast cancer funding. So he approached the Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation and a campaign was developed, which would see suppliers donating goods used in the construction of the pink house. The amount of money saved from those donations would then be given to Saskatoon City Hospital's Breast Health Centre.

Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation board chairman Glenn Wig started the campaign with one of the first donations from his company, Flo-Essence Plumbing, Hearth & Decor. Since then, more than a dozen suppliers have donated materials worth more than $30,000.

"We're hoping to raise $50,000 in total," Campbell says, noting the home serves two purposes. "It's demonstrating the use of a great new material, but, at the same time, we're giving back to the community."

"We first expected to raise just a few thousand dollars from the campaign," says Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation's CEO Steve Shannon, noting the hospital's happiness with the overwhelming response.

PinkWood also donates to breast cancer research in Canada, giving back one cent for every linear foot sold. In just a year, it's donated more than $20,000.

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